Display carton with inner shelf panel and an article holding feature

ABSTRACT

A display carton having an open front panel to display an article, and a central shelf panel parallel to and between the front and back panels of the carton. The carton has an article holding pocket formed by upper and lower transverse shelves hinged both to the shelf panel and to a front locking panel. The latter panel holds the transverse shelves in place by abutting the other end closure.

United States Patent Hanko [151 3,669,253 5 1 June 13,1972

[54] DISPLAY CARTON WITH INNER SHELF PANEL AND AN ARTICLE HOLDING FEATURE [72] Inventor: Jimmy J. Hanko, Des Plaines, 111.

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Weyerhaeuser Company, Tacoma, Wash.

Dec. 30, 1970 US. Cl. ..206/45.l4, 206/46 FR, 229/16 P Int. Cl ..B65d 5/50 Field of Search ..206/45. 1 4, 45.19, 46 FR;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,959,619 5/1934 Ebert ..229/l6 D UX 3,093,290 6/1963 Banks et 206/45. 1 4 X 3 ,444,990 5/ l 969 Braginetz. 206/45. 14 3,570,658 3/197 1 Swanberg ..206/45. 1 9 X Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-Reinhold W. Thieme Att0rneyPatrick D. Coogan, John M. Crawford, Stuart A. Heller and Bryan C. Ogden ABSTRACT A display carton having an open front panel to display an article, and a central shelf panel parallel to and between the front and back panels of the carton. The carton has an article holding pocket formed by upper and lower transverse shelves hinged both to the shelf panel and to a front locking panel. The latter panel holds the transverse shelves in place by abutting the other end closure.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTE'DJun 13 m2 SHEET 101 3 INVENTOR, J/MMV J. HAN/(0 PATENTEuJummn 3,669.253 sum 2 or a ATTO/P/VE V5 PATENTHJJumnn 3,669,253 sum aur 3 DISPLAY CARTON WITH INNER SI'IELF PANEL AND AN ARTICLE HOLDING FEATURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A display carton having an internal shelf with an article holding feature.

2. Description of the Prior Art A typical container having an internal shelf is disclosed in Rosenburg, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,299 granted Jan. 28, 1969. In this patent the inner shelf extends from the bottom to the top of the carton. Bevel panels extend from the front face of the container inwardly to form apertures holding the contained article.

Similarly Rosenburg, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,269 issued Jan. 13, 1970 has transverse shelves extending from the front panel into the carton. The shelves have apertures through which the contained article protrudes to be held in place BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A display carton has an open front panel to display the article and an internal shelf that is parallel to and between the front and rear panels of the carton. The shelf has offset transverse panels hinged to it. These form a pocket for holding the article. The transverse shelves are held in place by a front locking panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the blank.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the set-up container. The flaps on the front panel are open and a portion of the front panel is cut away to show the shelf panel.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the container. One end is closed. The product, in skeletal outline, is being inserted into the container.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is another isometric view of the container. The transverse shelf panels are in position and the other end is closed. The product is shown in skeletal outline.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view takenalong line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the container with the product in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION The blank 10 is divided by score lines ll, l2, 13, 14, and 16 into a side panel 17, a front panel 18, a second side panel 19, a back panel 20, an interior glue flap 21, a shelf panel 22 and a second interior glue flap 23.

A transverse score line 24 extends across the side panels 17 and 19, and the front panel 18, and is in alignment with the edge 25 of back panel 20. The score line 24 forms a hinged connection of the dust flaps 26 and 27 to the side panels 17 and 19 respectively, and of the end closure panel 28 to the front panel 18. The tuck flap 29 is hingedly attached to the end closure flap 28 by the score line 30. Locking slits 70 extend outwardly from score line 30. The corners 71 and 72 of dust flaps 26 and 27, respectively, extend into the slits 70 to lock the closure.

On the other end of the carton the score lines 31 extend across side panels 17 and 19 at the approximate level of edge 32 of back panel 20. These score lines are inclined toward the front panel 18 and form the hinged connection of dust flaps 33 and 34 with side panels 17 and 19, respectively.

The front panel 18 is divided by a transverse slit 35 and a longitudinal slit 36 into a front locking panel 37 and two hinged beveled panels 38. The panels 38 may be apertured centrally at 39 to receive the article and may be V-cut at 40 to accommodate the beveled panel 41.

The beveled panel 41 is hinged to the central shelf panel 42 by the score line 43 and is divided from the adjacent glue flap 21 by slit 44, allowing the beveled panel to bend forwardly in the set-up container. The score line 43 is offset inwardly of the outer edge 32 of back panel 20 and the score line 31 of side panels 17 and 19. The closure flap 45 is hinged to the outer end of the beveled panel 41 by score line 46 and the tuck flap 47 is hinged to the closure flap 45 by score line 48. Again, edge locking slits 73 extend outwardly from score line 48. These slits mate with comers 74 and 75 of dust flaps 33 and 34 to lock the closure.

The central shelf panel 42 has an article aperture 49 which extends into the beveled panel 41 to form an aperture 50 through which the product extends to be held in place.

Hinged to the other end of the central shelf panel 42 are a pair of side transverse shelf panels 51 and a central transverse shelf panel 52. The hinge connections for the side transverse shelf panels 51 are the aligned score lines 53, and for the central transverse shelf panel 52 the score line 54. The score line 54 is offset outwardly of the score lines 53 so that the transverse shelf panels will form a pocket for the end of the article. Slots 55 separate the inner edges of the side transverse shelf panels 51 from both the central transverse shelf panel 52 and the central shelf panel 42 to allow the transverse shelves to bend around their score lines.

The transverse shelf panels are held in place in the closed container by locking panel 56. This panel is hinged to the side transverse shelf panels by aligned score lines 57 and to the central transverse shelf panel by score line 58, and is separated from the side edges of the central transverse shelf panel 52 by the slots 55. The score line 58 is also offset outwardly of score lines 57.

In the closed container, the transverse shelf panels 51 and 52 are bent forwardly around score lines 53 and 54, and the locking panel 56 is bent rearwardly around score lines 57 and 58. This bending is facilitated by slit 60 which extends to score line 53 from the outer edge of panel 21 and separates locking panel 56 and shelf panel 51 from glue flap 21. The depth of the shelf panels 51 and 52, between score lines 53 and 57, and 54 and 58, respectively, is substantially equal to the distance between central shelf 42 and the front of the carton, allowing the locking panel 56 to be contiguous with the back of front panel 37. The outer edge 61 of locking panel 56 rests against the closure formed by members 26, 27 and 28.

The central transverse shelf 52 may have an additional score line 62 to accommodate the article. The depth of the transverse shelf panel 52 may then be greater than the depth of transverse shelf panels 51 to allow the panel 52 to bend around score line 62.

The end edges 63 and 64 of glue flap 23 are aligned with score lines 43 and 53, respectively.

In forming the carton the walls are folded around and the outside face of glue flap 21 is glued to the inside face of side panel 17 adjacent to the outer edge of the panel 17. Shelf panel 42 extends across the carton and the glue flap 23 is glued to the inside face of side panel 19. This is shown in FIG. 2.

In forming and filling the container the beveled panel 41 is pivoted forwardly around score line 43 and score line 46 is aligned with the plane of front panel 18 and the front corners of score lines 31. Dust flaps 33 and 34 are folded inwardly, closure flap 45 is pivoted around score line 46 over the glue flaps, and tuck flap 47 is folded around score line 48 and tucked within the carton.

This end panel closure construction provides an extremely sturdy construction and prevents twisting of the carton during transit. The carton may be manufactured with lightweight board because the construction itself provides the needed strength and rigidity.

The two beveled flaps 38 on the front panel are pushed inwardly until they contact the central shelf panel 42. The article may now be inserted into the container in front of the shelf panel 42 through the open end. This action will not deform a metal tube because the pressure is placed on the cap.

The other end of the article is held in place by the double tiered transverse shelf 51, 52. The locking panel 56 is pushed forwardly and inwardly until it is against the front panel 37. This action pivots the shelves 51, 52 around score lines 53 and 54 on one end, and 57 and 58 on the other end, forming the double tiered pocket which holds the article. If the article is a tube, the shelf 52 may bend around score line 62 to hold the end of the tube in position. The apertures 55 allow the two tiers of the transverse shelf to bend independently of each other.

After locking panel 56 is in place, the dust flaps 26 and 27 are folded down over the end, and closure panel 28 and tuck flap 29 are closed. The closure panel 28 and the dust flaps 26 and 27 are against the outer edge 61 of the locking panel 56 and hold the locking panel in position, maintaining the pocket.

It is also possible to use seal ends instead of tuck ends. The closure panels 28 and 45 are glued to end closure panels 65 and 66 respectively. These latter panels are attached to back panel 20 and shown in skeletal outline in FIG. 1. If these panels are used, end edges 25 and 32 become score lines, tuck flaps 29 and 47 are eliminated and score lines 30 and 48 are end edges on the closure panels 28 and 45, respectively.

What is claimed is:

1.,ln a carton having front, side and rear panels, and a central shelf panel within said carton parallel to said front and rear panels, means for holding an article, said means comprising a tiered transverse shelf extending from one end of said central shelf panel, said tiered shelf having twETaligned side sections and a central section offset outwardly of said side sections, said central section being separated from said side sections and forming with said side sections a pocket for holding said article, and means for holding said sections in place.

2. The carton of claim 1 in which said means for holding said sections in place is a locking panel, and said sections are hinged by score lines to said central shelf panel and said locking panel, the score lines for said central section being offset outwardly from the score lines for said side sections.

3. The carton of claim 2 in which said locking panel is against an outer panel and held in position by a closure panel.

4. The carton of claim 1 in which said front panel extends inwardly of said central section.

5. The carton of claim 1 in which said central section is deeper than said side section and a transverse score line extends across said central section.

6. In a blank for a container having front, back and side panels and a central longitudinal shelf panel, the improvement comprising three transverse shelf sections connected to one end of said central shelf panel by score lines, the width of each of the sections in the longitudinal direction being substantially equal, the score line for the central section being offset longitudinally outwardly from the score lines of the two side sections and the central section being separated from the two side sections.

7. The blank of claim 6 in which the outer ends of the three transverse shelves are connected to a locking panel by score lines, the score line of the central section being offset outwardly from the score lines of the two side sections.

8. The blank of claim 7 in which the distance between the latter score lines and the end of the locking panel is equal to the distance between the transverse shelves and the end of the carton in the closed carton.

9. The blank of claim 6 in which said central section has an additional score line thereon substantially parallel to and between said other two score lines.

10. The blank of claim 9 in which the distance between the score lines of said central section is greater than the distance between the score lines of said side sections. 

1. In a carton having front, side and rear panels, and a central shelf panel within said carton parallel to said front and rear panels, means for holding an article, said means comprising a tiered transverse shelf extending from one end of said central shelf panel, said tiered shelf having two aligned side sections and a central section offset outwardly of said side sections, said central section being separated from said side sections and forming with said side sections a pocket for holding said article, and means for holding said sections in place.
 2. The carton of claim 1 in which said means for holding said sections in place is a locking panel, and said sections are hinged by score lines to said central shelf panel and said locking panel, the score lines for said central section being offset outwardly from the score lines for said side sections.
 3. The carton of claim 2 in which said locking panel is against an outer panel and held in position by a closure panel.
 4. The carton of claim 1 in which said front panel extends inwardly of said central section.
 5. The carton of claim 1 in which said central section is deeper than said side section and a transverse score line extends across said central section.
 6. In a blank for a container having front, back and side panels and a central longitudinal shelf panel, the improvement comprising three transverse shelf sections connected to one end of said central shelf panel by score lines, the width of each of the sections in the longitudinal direction being substantially equal, the score line for the central section being offset longitudinally outwardly from the score lines of the two side sections and the central section being separated from the two side sections.
 7. The blank of claim 6 in which the outer ends of the three transverse shelves are connected to a locking panel by score lines, the score line of the central section being offset outwardly from the score lines of the two side sections.
 8. The blank of claim 7 in which the distance between the latter score lines and the end of the locking panel is equal to the distance between the transverse shelves and the end of the carton in the closed carton.
 9. The blank of claim 6 in which said central section has an additional score line thereon substantially parallel to and between said other two score lines.
 10. The blank of claim 9 in which the distance between the score lines of said central section is greater than the distance between the score lines of said side sections. 